C R 



The fecond Ciafs, or autumnal 

 Crocp^s's, 



I. Crocus; fathus. C. B. The 

 true Saffron. 



z. Crocus ; Alpinus, c.utumnci- 

 Us. C. B, Autumnal Crocm of 

 the Alps. 



5. Crocus; jtmcifolius, autum- 

 nitlis, jlore magnoy purpurajcente. 

 Boerk. hid. 



The Autumnal Crocus's, are not 

 fb great Increalers as are thofe of 

 the Spring, nor do they produce 

 Seeds in our Climate, lo that they 

 are Icfs common in the Gardens, 

 except the true Saffron, which is 

 propagated for Ufe in great Plenty 

 in many Parts of England. Thele 

 may be taken up every third Year, 

 as was diredled fcr the Spring 

 Crocus's, but flioulj not be kept 

 out of the Ground longer than the 

 Beginning of Augufi, for they 

 commonly produce their Flowers 

 in Se^ temper or the Beginning of 

 OcioSery fo that if they remain too 

 long out of the Ground, they will 

 not produce their Flowers fo Ibong, 

 nor in fuch Plenty as when they 

 are planted early. 



The Method of cultivating Saf- 

 fron being Ibniewhat curious, I 

 thought it not improper to inlert 

 in this Place an Abfiiraft of it, as 

 it was prefcnted to the Royal So- 

 ciety by Dt. James Douglas. 



As Saffron grows at prefcnt moft 

 plentifuJly in Carnbr'idgejljire, and 

 has grown formerly in leveral orher 

 Counties of England^ the Method 

 of Culture does not, I believe, 

 vary much in any ot them, and 

 therefore I judge it fufficicnt to fet 

 down here the Obfervations which 

 I employ'd proper Perfons, in dif- 

 ferent Seafons, to make in the 

 Years 17^3, I7i4> 'T^fj ^"^ 

 1728, up and down all that large 

 Trad ot Ground th.it lies between 



c R 



Saffron-Ttoalden and Cambridge, fn a 

 Circle about ten Miles diameter. 



In that Country Saffron has been 

 cultivated, and therefore it may 

 reafonably be expeded that the 

 Inhabitants thereof are more tho- 

 roughly acquainted with it than 

 they are any where elfe. 



1 Ihall begin wich the Choice and 

 Preparation of the Ground 1 The 

 gi-eatefl: Part of the Trad already 

 mentioned, is an open level Coun- 

 try, with few Inclofuresj and the 

 Cuftom there is, as in moft other 

 Places, to crop two Years, and let 

 the Land be tallow the third. Saf' 

 fron is always planted upon fallow 

 oround, and all other Things be- 

 ing alike, they prefer that which 

 has born Barley the Year before. 



The Saffron Grounds are feldom 

 above three Acres, or lefs than 

 one 5 and in chuling, the principal 

 Thing they have Regard to, is, 

 that they be well expos'd, the Soil 

 not poor, nor a very ftiff Clay, 

 but a temperate dry Mould, iuch 

 as commonly lies upon Chalk, and 

 is of a h^izcl Coiourj tho', if every 

 thing elfe anfwers, the Colour of 

 the Mould is pretty much neg- 

 Icded. 



The Ground being made Choice 

 of, about Lady-day or the Begin- 

 ning of April, it mud be carefully 

 plough'd, the Furrows being drawn 

 much clofer together, and deeper, 

 if the Soil will allow it, than is 

 done for any kind of Corn, and 

 accordingly the Charge is greater. 



About five Weeks after, during 

 any time in the Month of May^ 

 they lay between tv/enty and thirty 

 Loads of Dung upon each Acre, 

 and having Spread it with great 

 Care, they plough it in as before: 

 The Ihorteft rotten Dung is the 

 belli and the Farmers, who have 

 the Gonveniency of making ir, 



ipare 



